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Tue, Jun 30, 2009
my paper
Impact of recession: Marital woes up
by Chreyl Lim
THE recession is taking its toll on marriages as worries about finances and job security spiral into disagreements and fights.
Counsellors my paper spoke to say that they have seen an increase of up to three times the typical number of couples with such marital woes.
Clinical psychologist Marina Yap at the Centre for Effective Living in Camden Medical Centre said she is seeing 40 per cent more of such cases this year, compared to last year.
Ms Yap usually sees about two couples in a year.
Since the beginning of this year, however, she has seen eight couples so far.
These cases usually “centre on the grief of job loss, disagreement in finance management and lack of quality time together due to working overtime”, she said.
Dr Adrian Wang, a consultant psychiatrist at Dr Adrian Wang Psychiatric and Counselling Care, said he saw a similar increase in such cases “triggered by job and financial worries”, compared to a year ago.
“Many men feel that their jobs define them. To lose it results not only in financial loss, but also a loss of face and purpose in their lives. They get cranky and upset,” said Dr Wang.
Besides the stress of being laid off, somemen are also reluctant to face their wife’s changing expectations, such as helping out with household chores, and this could lead to tension in the marriage, said counsellors.
There are also times when the wife is unsupportive of the retrenched husband and this may cause depression for the men.
“Their wives don’t seem to understand the gravity of the situation and continue to demand that they live the lifestyle they’re accustomed to,” said Dr Wang.
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